


Oil And Water

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-29
Updated: 2006-03-29
Packaged: 2018-08-15 21:23:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8073160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: When a personality clash almost results in the death of four members of the Enterprise crew, Reed and Sato must repair their relationship. Postep, 1.22 "Vox Sola." (08/26/2002)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

Thoughts tumbled over one another, a constant hum of memories and emotions set against a layer of pale, wispy tendrils. Hoshi's ears pulsed, invigorated now that their ordeal was over.

"Can we take these off now?" Hoshi asked, raising her hand to her mask. "I hate losing part of my peripheral vision. Makes me feel claustrophobic."

T'Pol lifted her tricorder to their breathing level for a reading. Perusing it, she raised an eyebrow in Hoshi's direction. "The air is breathable now that we are no longer in the alien's territory," she said steadily. "However, you must learn to adapt to any deficiencies the EV suits may have, Ensign."

Hoshi nodded and removed her face shield. Her petulant behaviour of the last few days shamed her more than she cared to admit. She appreciated T'Pol's confidence in her abilities, if not for inflating her ego, than certainly for building character. You don't drown by falling in the water, she thought, remembering words her mother had always used to encourage her. You drown by staying there. It still rang bittersweet.

"Doctor Phlox seems fascinated with the life on this planet," Hoshi said. A faint clucking sound drifted over to them from where he stood, calibrating his medical scanners for accuracy and sensitivity. "I can

understand why. This place is really quite remarkable." She glanced around, the bluish luminosity of light emanating from above. It filtered like spider webs, thin strands of illumination radiating over them.

Having raised her face shield as well, T'Pol eyed her steadily. "It will take another hour at most to complete our scans, but Captain Archer would prefer that we return to the ship as soon as possible. Perhaps you

would be interested in assisting the Doctor and I in our research." Hoshi blinked, unprepared for the invitation.

"Actually, Sub-Commander - " The communicator crackled with static, interrupting the moment. "I need Ensign Sato for a moment. If it's at all possible, could you send her up to the shuttlepod?"

T'Pol nodded towards Hoshi. "She will be there shortly, Lieutenant."

Already moving, disappointment crossed Hoshi's soft features. She stepped heavily into the pliant ground. The sour smell that had pervaded the alien's cavern faded noticeably as she climbed higher up the rocky

slope, replaced by the sweet aftertaste of a thunderstorm. It must have rained, she thought, seeing the dirt beneath her boots become slick with water. She marvelled at its ability to run cleanly over the earth's

surface, refusing to combine in the same temperament of oil and water.

* * *

Hoshi approached the shuttlepod from behind, where it sat lonely and dark on a rocky plateau. Peering inside, she found it empty. A niggle of concern worked its way inside her head, and Hoshi leaned over and

activated the pod's exterior lighting.

"Could you please turn that off, Hoshi?"

Startled, she turned, surveying the illuminated area for a sign of the armoury officer. "Why?"

"I'd rather you see for yourself."

Hoshi clicked the podâ€™s lights back off, blanketing her surroundings in its dark blue shadows again. A faint popping sound crackled in her ears. "Okay Malcolm, it's off. What am I supposed to be seeing?"

She heard rustling through the comm. Reed's voice finally came across, a teasing quality inflected in its tone. "Are you still standing next to the shuttle?"

Hoshi nodded, figuring Malcolm could see her from wherever he was. She had not expected him to play games with her when he had requested help. Then again, his behaviour the last few days had caught her by surprise. Indulgently, she decided to play along.

"I am," she said steadily. "Where are you?" Hoshi turned her head uncomfortably upward, hampered by the bulkiness of her helmet.

"See that slope directly to the right of you, shaped like a miniature Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Climb it all the way to the top, until you reach a headland." His words faded to static, and Hoshi waited, anticipating more.

"Oh, and one more thing." She shrugged at his words, mildly impressed with her intuition. "I tore a bloody hole in the leg of my EV suit getting up here, so do be careful. We wouldn't want you get hurt."

Her eyebrows shot up. "No. I guess we wouldn't," she replied, wondering if Malcolm had heard the sarcasm. The comment bothered her. She had come to understand T'Pol's motivations. She had yet to learn his, and her feelings were still bruised.

Hoshi headed towards the slope. "It's okay, Lieutenant," she said. "I won't hurt myself." Even in the bulky suit, she clambered easily upwards, slowing only when she neared the top. "So are you hurt?" she called. Dark thunderclouds shifted above, obstructing the stars. "I hope you didn't call me up here only to carry you back down. You would have been better off asking T'Pol to come up."

He laughed in her ear. If she hadn't been indignant towards him, she might have been struck by the fact that she had never actually heard him laugh before.

The night sky rose thunderously as she walked across the final few steps to where Reed stood. At the cliff's edge, the large expanse gave way to a spectacular view. It stretched to the farthest points in all directions.

She stopped in mid-stride.

Reed hadn't turned, though she suspected that he knew she was there. "Lovely, isn't it?" he said, so softly she strained to hear. "I knew you would appreciate it."

Hoshi moved to stand beside him. The wind blew hard and coldly in her ear. "Is this what you wanted me to see?" she asked.

Reed finally glanced over, seeing her staring up towards the stars. "No," he responded, using a gloved hand to point to his right. "Not all of it. It actually was at first, but watch over here." Hoshi turned in that direction. Her eyes widened.

The sounds of sparks roared in her ears suddenly. A glowing sphere, bright white with a light blue aura, formed and hovered through the air in front of them. At most, it was no more than 20 feet away, and they watched the orb descend on an elliptical arc. It hit the ground, hissing and crackling with heat, only to disintegrate with a final gasp.

Then all was quiet again.

Hoshi shivered, feeling the hair on her neck standing on end. "What was that?" she asked breathlessly. Her eyes were still squintting from the strength of its glare. "I've never seen anything like it before."

He glanced at her. "Lovely, isn't it? Every few minutes or so another one appears. Would you believe me if I told you that I've seen the exact same thing on Earth?"

She shook her head, wild-eyed.

"Unfortunately, it's a very terran phenomenon. It is natural, if not entirely common - I think it's normally called ball lightning - but I'm afraid I don't know much more than that. You might consider asking T'Pol about it when we get back to the ship." Reed seemed to stare right through her, mouth set in a straight line, and then he turned back towards the horizon.

She shifted uncomfortably. Suddenly, Hoshi was certain there was something that needed her attention in the shuttlepod. Perhaps she could reinitialize the translator's frequency range to extend beyond the normal human hearing level. She turned and took a few steps, then stopped to look back at the skyline one last time. Instead, she found herself staring into a pair of blue eyes. Malcolm had turned to follow her.

"What?" Hoshi asked sharply, not bothering to stifle the venom in her voice. "Still think I need help getting down the hill?"

He gaped at her, seeming surprised at the hostility in her tone. Reed struck the release mechanism on his helmet and lifted the face shield. "Actually, I'm just getting a bit cold up here, so I thought I would

return with you to the shuttle. Why are you snapping at me, Ensign?" His voice was firm and his expression sober, and so very confused that she could have cried as easily as she could have slapped him. Instead she tried to walk away.

Reed caught her with one gloved hand, and she put up little fight. "Hoshi. You're holding your tongue. What's wrong?"

Hoshi pulled her elbow from his grasp. Suddenly she felt tired, and much older than her 27 years. "Nothing's wrong. It's just that I - " Hoshi's eyes shifted, refusing to meet his. Then she shook her head as if trying to clear the cobwebs. "Never mind. I've been meaning to say congratulations for your breakthrough." She swallowed thickly, willing her voice to work and end this conversation so she could escape to the pod. "You should be proud of yourself." Hoshi said, finally glancing back.

She saw him shake his head at her. Then he leaned in. "You should as well," he said, then leaned back to meet her stare. "Sometimes I wish I was more like you." Reed glanced away, putting his face shield

back down.

"How do you mean?" Hoshi asked, biting her bottom lip.

Malcolm exhaled a shallow breath. It condensed on the inside of his mask, and his words once again echoed inside her helmet. "If we had tried to kill the alien, four of our officers would have been killed. I should have trusted you.â€

Hoshi nodded empathetically, staring at stars that were just beginning to appear above them. "You can't help it," she responded softly. "It's who you are. It's who you've always been."

"But," Malcolm began quietly, their proximity to one another sheltering them from the cold wind, "I'm supposed to protect my crew. How can I do that if I can't successfully differentiate between a hostile or peaceful species?"

Hoshi smiled. They began walking towards the steep path that would take them back to the shuttle. "I think realizing our limitations is the biggest challenge; once we can do that, we've already accomplished the hardest part. Besides," she said with a charming wink, "paranoia is a vastly underrated emotion in space. You've saved us more times than I can count." Reaching up, Hoshi lowered her face mask. It locked with a

satisfying click, and she heard the soft hiss of escaping gas. Saluting, Malcolm watched her gracefully repel down the summit with the ease of an expert climber.

"That was bloody impressive. Is there anything you can't do, Hoshi?" He grinned down at her.

"Nope," she replied, returning his smile. "Well, I guess that's not entirely true, but there's alot you don't know about me."

"Oh, I don't doubt it," he called quietly. The wind blew harder, attempting to throw him off balance. Looking down, he raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Bloody hell. I never realized just how steep this last part was."

He heard her laugh through the comm. "Don't worry, Malcolm. Just look where you're stepping, and I'm sure you'll be fine. And if you think you're going to fall, " she said playfully, her face splitting into a wide grin. "My offer to get T'Pol to carry you down still stands."


End file.
